


Open up my eyes, tell me I’m alive

by FuryBeam136



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), Monster Hunter (Video Games)
Genre: >:), :), Amanda gives Connor a bad time, Angst, Everyone is Human..., Hank has hunted an elder dragon, Monster Hunter AU, and it’s very impressive, but not nearly as heavy as usual, fury has only played generations pls forgive if your favourite monster isn’t here, or are they?, “fury why is there a malfestio in the character tags” you may wonder
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2020-02-29 03:52:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18770629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FuryBeam136/pseuds/FuryBeam136
Summary: “Not what you were expecting, huh? Thought a big scary hunter who’s taken down an elder dragon would be more well put together, huh? Thought I’d be more proper? Well if you’re looking for someone to kiss your ass, you’re in the wrong place.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AnnaTheHank](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaTheHank/gifts).



> Oh boy this is gonna be a wild ride  
> Gotta thank the Yellow LED server for supporting it though! You guys are really the best. I know I tell you all the time but now I’m telling you WHERE ANYONE CAN SEE MWAHAHA

Connor forgot how annoying it is to fight a Khezu. He isn’t really sure how he forgot. But he did somehow.

Which is what brings him here. Being struck by that stupid paralyzing electric attack Khezu are so fond of. He can’t move fast enough to avoid the mouth that’s coming towards him. This is it, probably. He’s going to be eaten. Well, it’s probably better than Amanda finding out about this later.

The wyvern recoils suddenly as a screaming redhead drives her dual blades into its extended neck. “Take that, you slimy bastard!”

Connor rolls to his feet as soon as he regains movement. He raises his bowgun, but before he can fire, three more hunters emerge from crevices. One plays something on his hunting horn and the energy that surges from it surrounds him. A man with a sword and shield dances around the Khezu, drawing its attention away from the blond firing arrows.

They work well together. Connor can’t focus on that right now, he knows better than to let any hunters hunt his target without him. He locks on and fires into the Khezu’s open mouth when it tries to bite the redhead.

“Thanks, dude!” she shoots finger guns at him, which is very unprofessional. “I owe you one!”

“You can pay me back by focusing on the hunt,” Connor mumbles sharply, to which the redhead shoots him finger guns _again_ and goes back to aggressively and recklessly slamming her blades and body into the wyvern.

Her tactic proves effective, as the Khezu, already weakened from Connor fighting it earlier, goes down. The group before him exchanges high fives and laughter. They’re very inefficient, Connor notes as he slings his bowgun over his shoulder. He carves what he can from the fallen wyvern and moves to leave.

“Hey!” The man with the sword and shield is addressing him. “Thanks for helping us out there. I’m Markus.”

Markus. Connor knows the name. Amanda probably won’t be pleased about this. “My name is Connor.”

“I’m Josh.” The dark skinned man with the hunting horn extends a hand, which Connor shakes. “It’s great to meet you.”

“Simon,” is the blond bowman’s brief introduction. Connor appreciates the brevity, and gives a respectful nod.

“Name’s North,” the fiery redhead seems confident in her stance. “I know you helped us out back there, but if you plan on hurting any of these morons,” a gesture to the other three, “I will personally ensure that you regret it.”

“I will keep that in mind.” Connor dips his head politely. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way.”

“Where are you headed?” Markus asks. “If you’re going back to the Hub, why not stick with us?”

Connor reluctantly accepts. He knows Amanda won’t like this, but deflecting questions from these people will likely be easier than answering any Amanda will have. Although, her disappointment will be rather… discouraging.

The trip back to the Hub is brief, but Amanda is waiting for him and that is not really a good thing. She storms over to him, and the pure rage in her expression is not something Connor predicted. Disappointment, he knew was coming. But Amanda isn’t one to get angry. Not in such a visible way.

“Connor.” Her tone is even, but the tension radiating off her causes the hunters beside him (with the exception of North) to kind of flinch away.

Connor knows what she wants. He nods to her and follows her stiff pace. Almost as soon as they’re within the CyberLife house, she turns on him.

“What were you doing with them?” Connor winces at her tone, disapproving and angry. “You should not be associating yourself with such a group. Do you have any idea who they are?”

“Of course I do, Amanda. How could I not?” Connor doesn’t let his annoyance creep into his tone. Amanda will only get angrier if he shows any emotion. “They are Markus, Simon, Josh and North, four rather new and promising members of the Jericho guild.”

“If you knew who they are then why were you with them?” Amanda is seething. “You should know perfectly well by now that we do not have a particularly positive relation with Jericho.”

“I apologize, Amanda. It seemed to me that it would be considered rude if I declined traveling back with them after they assisted me in my hunt.”

“That is true. How was the hunt, Connor? Have you sustained any injuries?”

“Unfortunately, yes. I made a slight miscalculation when fighting the Khezu and was unable to avoid its electric attack.”

Amanda sighs and shakes her head. Connor feels ashamed. “Come on then. Let’s make sure nothing was damaged too badly.”

He follows her to his room. She doesn’t need to lead him. She knows that. But it’s supposed to establish a sort of superiority. Connor knows better than to mess with that. She straps him onto the exam table in the center.

It occurs to Connor that if someone were to visit, it would be difficult to explain why his room is on a sub level requiring the highest permissions to enter, and why the only furnishings in the room are an exam table and a mirror along one wall. The answer is really quite simple, but he isn’t supposed to tell anyone.

“You’ve overloaded your temperature regulator again,” Amanda notes disapprovingly. “You really need to be more cautious. These parts are really quite expensive, you know.”

“Yes, Amanda.”

“Deactivate your skin. Elijah will be here to properly replace the part shortly.”

Connor does as requested, shivering slightly as his chassis is exposed to the air.

The reason his room is designed this way is simple: Connor is an android.

The door opens and Elijah enters. A new temperature regulator is in his hand, and it doesn’t take him long to open panels in Connor’s chest and replace the old one.

“This one should be more resilient,” he assures as the panels close. “I’ve been working on improving it, since you seem to overload it so often.”

If Connor were capable of doing so, he thinks he might have blushed. He isn’t though. So he doesn’t.

“I apologize.”

“It’s quite alright, Connor.” Elijah smiles. Connor isn’t sure he likes Elijah’s smile.

A few simple calibration tests later, Connor is fully repaired. Amanda insists on running a few more tests to ensure this is the case, which Connor does begrudgingly.

“I was unable to collect the reward for my hunt,” Connor notes.

“It is of little importance. The more pressing issue here is that you were with hunters from Jericho.” Amanda has disapproval written all over her body.

Connor frowns. He thought this discussion was over. Clearly he was wrong. “I did tell you why this decision was made.”

“Yes, you did. And while your reasoning was correct, it still does not excuse the fact that you helped them. Now they will get a cut of the rewards for your hunt.”

“Amanda, with all due respect, they-”

“I don’t want to hear your excuses. Tomorrow you will be assigned a hunting partner. He is not to know you are an android unless absolutely necessary. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Amanda.” Connor dips his head.

“Until we can find this partner, you are not to leave the building. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Amanda.”

Amanda nods, placated. “Good.”

Connor sees no point in staying awake any longer. So he enters stasis until Amanda has further need of him.

She apparently has no further need of him until the next day. She guides him through hallways and finally stops in front of a standard CyberLife hunter’s room. She knocks on the door, firmly and yet not too harsh to be polite.

“Whaddaya want?” The man who answers the door is not what Connor expected. A curtain of gray hair frames the hunter’s face, and his posture is weary. Connor can taste alcohol on the man’s breath.

Amanda frowns and shakes her head.

“I think we have the wrong room. My sincerest apologies for disturbing you. We were looking for Hank Anderson. You wouldn’t happen to know where he is, would you?” The sweetness dripping from Amanda’s voice is sickening. Her voice was not made for kindness.

“Yeah, I know him. Kinda hard not to, cause he’s me. So I’m gonna ask again. Whaddaya want?” The disgust on Amanda’s face is visible. Hank laughs at it. “Not what you were expecting, huh? Thought a big scary hunter who’s taken down an elder dragon would be more well put together, huh? Thought I’d be more proper? Well if you’re looking for someone to kiss your ass, you’re in the wrong place.”

“Anderson, you’d do well to watch yourself. This is Connor. My son.” Amanda says this pointedly, glaring daggers at Hank. “He’s going to be partnering with you on hunts to avoid certain… misbehaviours he has shown previously.”

Ah. Of course. Doing the polite thing and accepting Markus’ request was misbehaviour. If he had known the consequences would be so… bothersome? Annoying? Connor can’t put his finger on the emotion. He’s not supposed to feel anyway. But if he’d known these were going to be the consequences he would have declined, rudeness be damned.

“Hey, kid.” Hank’s expression softens slightly. Connor isn’t sure how exactly he’s expected to respond, so he offers his hand for a handshake. Hank takes it and shakes it far too gently, as if shaking it too hard will break Connor. Which doesn’t make any sense, because Connor isn’t fragile, doesn’t even look fragile. “Guess you’re stuck with me, huh?”

Connor frowns at the wording. Because it’s true. Even if Hank has hunted an elder dragon, he’s still human. He’s still flawed. And Connor is perfect. He’s perfect but he’s chained to this human and now he’s imperfect.

“I suppose so,” he says slowly, careful to hide his frustration at the situation.

“Connor.” Amanda’s tone is sharp. Then she schools her face into a neutral expression before continuing. “Someone will be by shortly with a hunt for you. Until then, I expect you to behave.” Connor bristles at her words, but says nothing.

Hank looks… pitying. “Hey, uh, you sure I’m the right man for this job? I mean, seems like the kid could use a better babysitter than me.” 

Connor winces at the word “babysitter.” He does not need a babysitter. He is not a human child to be watched, he is perfectly capable of handling himself. Connor is a highly advanced android and he does not need to be babysat. He does not need to be told to behave. He can take care of himself.

Amanda’s disapproving stare alerts him to how tense he is. He forces his body to relax, but his head is spinning with all these feelings he should not be able to feel. It’s probably Elijah’s doing. The man has an unhealthy fascination with emotions.

Hank catches the brief, nonverbal exchange and ushers Connor into the room with a hastily muttered apology. Connor looks around with calculated disinterest. Hank’s room is a mess. Distaste curls at his lips before he forces it down. He feels out of place. He doesn’t belong here.

“You okay, kid?” The concern in Hank’s voice is palpable. Connor can’t seem to bring up a response. His breath is caught in his throat and he needs it to not be.

Hank reaches out to touch him and Connor pulls away. “I’m fine.” The words are forced, tense. Connor is not fine. Connor is angry. He is angry and he is hurt.

“Okay, just, fucking, lemme know if you need something.”

Connor nods. He won’t ask for anything. He won’t need anything.

The messenger arrives in a blessedly short amount of time. Connor has a hunt. Hank has to come with him, but he has something to do, he can prove that he’s not useless.

Connor slings his bowgun over his shoulder and marches out to hunt a malfestio.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor steps towards the body, nudging it slightly. “When monsters are wounded, they tend to run. To find somewhere to recover their strength. Why didn’t this one?”
> 
> “Listen, kid, some monsters just don’t.”
> 
> And then Connor sees it. An egg.
> 
> “It was a mother,” he breathes. “She was protecting her young.”

Connor hasn’t hunted a Malfestio before. He isn’t fully sure what to expect. Hank catches up to him, panting, a greatsword slung over his back.

“Geez, kid. You’re fuckin fast.”

“I had expected a renowned hunter like yourself to be able to keep up. My apologies.” Connor ignores the indignant spluttering and sets off.

Based on data gathered by various hunters, Connor is able to narrow down the Malfestio’s most likely location. He waves for Hank to follow as he begins tracking the beast.

The bird wyvern stares at them from its perch as they approach, but does not move. Connor frowns at this. This is not usual behaviour. When Hank steps towards something Connor doesn’t bother to look at, the Malfestio shrieks and swoops at him.

In an instant, Connor has raised his bowgun and is firing. The wyvern shrieks and hoots but does not stop, barreling into Hank. Connor swears quietly. Humans. Useless, every one of them. How did someone as filthy and useless as Hank ever manage to hunt an elder dragon? The greatsword that emerges from the Malfestio’s feathers shocks Connor briefly, before he pulls himself together.

The bird wyvern, clearly enraged, releases a puff of yellow spores from its wings. Connor knows they’re bad, runs to avoid them, but he still finds himself enveloped. And then his limbs aren’t responding properly.

He tries to turn and run back towards the Malfestio, to get within range, but his body jerks in the wrong direction and he loses his balance. When he tries to stand his body moves in all the wrong ways and _why can’t he move right?_

“?knaH”

What. What kind of noise just left Connor’s mouth?

Connor tries again to maneuver his body only to find that it just won’t listen to him. He knew that a Malfestio could cause similar effects to this on humans. But connor is not a human and therefore should not be affected. So why is he being affected?

“!knaH !em pleH” Connor doesn’t even know what he just said. Or, he wouldn’t if he didn’t know what he was trying to say. “!kcuF”

“Stop shouting, kid! You just gotta wait for that shit to wear off!” Hank is having no trouble avoiding the Malfestio’s frenzied movements. “You’re just distracting me!”

“!uoy kcuF” Connor shouts anyway, because he can’t do anything else and that is not sitting well with him. “!tnaw gnikcuf I tahw I od I”

The hunter grapples with the bird wyvern for a while, all the while ignoring connor’s screamed curses. Which don’t even sound like curses anymore. Damn. Connor’s first time swearing and that damn Malfestio had to ruin it by messing with his body. When Connor’s body starts working again-

“FUCK!” Connor screams, and then he pauses. It’s finally worn off. Relief washes over him, followed by rage.

Connor fills the Malfestio with bullets, red smearing his vision. Hank watches in horrified awe, which Connor savours.

“What the fuck was that?” Hank shouts when the Malfestio finally stops twitching and screaming and Connor stops shooting.

“I do not like being unable to control my body.” Connor stares for a long moment. “It made me… angry.” His tone goes soft and he sounds almost lost. He can feel Hank’s concern and he doesn’t want to.

“Come on, kid. Let’s go.”

“Wait.” Connor looks to where the Malfestio lies. “Why didn’t it run?”

“What do you mean?”

Connor steps towards the body, nudging it slightly. “When monsters are wounded, they tend to run. To find somewhere to recover their strength. Why didn’t this one?”

“Listen, kid, some monsters just don’t.”

And then Connor sees it. An egg.

“It was a mother,” he breathes. “She was protecting her young.”

“Connor, come on-”

“I can’t leave it here. It will die.” Connor isn’t sure why the thought hurts so much. “It will be our fault.”

He lifts the large egg in his arms with care he wasn’t built for. This creature is powerful. It feels wrong to just leave it to die to whatever predator finds it.

“Its a fucking monster! That thing’s gonna hatch and it’s gonna eat your fucking face off!”

Connor ignores Hank, because Hank is a human and therefore far inferior to Connor.

“I am going to raise it. It will not attack me.” Connor is confident that this is the case. He starts walking, egg cradled securely in his arms. “It is my child.”

Hank groans and mutters something Connor doesn’t care about before they get back to walking. When they reach the Hub, it’s bustling and busy, as usual. Amanda isn’t waiting for them. Connor isn’t sure if he’s relieved or worried by this.

The egg in Connor’s arms draws attention, but a sharp glare tends to scare people off. Hank seems exasperated the whole time. Finally, Amanda is there, and she takes one look at the egg and rages hardens her features.

“What is that?” she hisses in a way that tells Connor she knows exactly what it is. “What are you doing with that thing?”

“The Malfestio we hunted had an egg. I took the egg.” Connor stares at Amanda with resolve that she will not break. “I am going to take care of it.”

“Take care of it? You’re going to _take care of it?_ ”

Connor’s face remains impassive as she screams. She grips his wrist (too hard, too hard, she’s squeezing and it hurts) and drags him away. He tries to twist it out of her grip because it _hurts_ but if he twists too much the egg starts to slip and he won’t let himself drop the egg.

He’s thrown into his room and the door locks behind him. Connor can’t exactly bring himself to care. He sits in the corner of the room with the egg and raises his temperature to warm it.

Time passes. Connor wishes he didn’t know how much but he is painfully aware of it. It has been 3 hours when he raises the temperature again. It has been 12 hours when he receives a notification alerting him to the overheating he is aware of due to how uncomfortable it is. It has been 16 hours when his scans inform him the egg is warm enough. It has been 24 hours when he begins to lose coherence. It has been 25 hours when his internal clock overheats.

He notices eventually that he’s making strange noises. He pays it no mind. It’s not important. The egg is more important. He’s humming something, he thinks. But it’s hard to tell. It’s hard to think at all. Maybe he just… won’t.

Connor is floating. He wonders how long he’s been in here. He wonders why. He thinks he knows why but he’s forgotten and he doesn’t think it matters anyway. As long as the egg is safe. As long as the egg is warm. Warm. It’s very warm here. Connor isn’t sure if he likes it or not. It’s hard to tell how he feels when he’s floating.

“Connor.”

Oh. Someone is talking to him. Connor laughs. Why is he laughing? Oh, right. Someone is saying his name. How silly. Connor. That’s his name. His.

“Shit! He’s overheating pretty bad.”

Overheating? No, he’s not overheating. It’s not even warm in here. That’s why he turned up his temperature. He’s gotta keep the egg warm. He’s not overheating. It’s cold in here. He’s gotta keep the egg warm.

“Connor. Can you hear me? Listen to my voice, okay? It’s Elijah.”

Elijah? Who’s that again? Oh right, it’s the guy who made him. His dad? Yeah, his dad. Elijah is Connor’s dad. Connor giggles. He has a dad. That’s so funny.

“It looks like he did this to himself. His biocomponents seem to have been completely stable up until he raised his temperature.”

“Gotta… keepyegg warm.” Connor tries to raise his head. All it does is make everything spin.

“Fascinating.”

“He’s damaging himself over a damn monster egg! Take it from him!”

Hands on the egg. “No!” Connor curls tightly around it. “No!” Frantic feelings begin to surge and he feels a brief moment of complete clarity. “You’re gonna hurt it! Don’t… don’t hurt it… please?”

“Leave it.”

“What?”

“This is incredible. I would like to let it happen.”

“Elijah, he’s damaging himself.”

“Well then we fix him.”

Connor feels someone grab at his arm. He blinks blearily and looks up to hopefully focus on the person who is touching him. He thinks maybe it’s Elijah. He squints up and yes, it is Elijah.

“Connor. I want you to lie on the operating table, okay?”

“But… egg…” Connor frowns. He has to warm the egg.

“We’re going to give you a few things after, okay? The egg will be fine.”

Connor reluctantly leaves the egg, allowing Elijah to strap him into the operating table. The repairs are somewhat painful, but they bring clarity to Connor’s mind. And then it’s over and he blinks a few times to focus on the egg that rests in a nest of blankets in the corner.

“Connor.” Amanda. She’s angry. She’s disappointed. “You should not have done that.”

“You left me alone. I was alone.” Connor finds that the knowledge of this fact… hurts. “I was alone for 120 hours. I did not know when you would come back.”

“That shouldn’t matter. You brought the egg back from your hunt and I needed to discourage such behaviour.” Amanda’s tone is harsh. “I should have taken the egg from you. But I didn’t, and you damaged yourself over it. Maybe I should lock you in here longer next time.”

“I do not believe that will be necessary. I won’t fail you again, Amanda.” Connor didn’t like being alone. He doesn’t want to be alone again.

“Good.”

Connor looks at Elijah, who has a pensive expression on his face. “Connor. You want to raise the egg, yes?” Connor nods, and Elijah smiles. “I will give you anything you need to take care of it, but when it hatches it will be entirely your responsibility to feed and train the monster. If you fail to do this, we will have to kill it. Do you understand?”

“You will not have to kill it. I will succeed.” Connor stares into Elijah’s eyes with the intensity only an unblinking android can muster.

“I do hope you’re right. You will go on another hunt with Hank tomorrow. This time, you are not to bring back anything unnecessary.”

Connor nods and when the humans leave, he enters rest mode kneeling on the floor beside the egg. His egg.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor is finally left alone in his room, where he makes a beeline for the egg nestled in a pile of blankets. He runs his hands over the shell, something about the sheer smoothness of it just so pleasing to him.
> 
> And then he feels a crack and his thirium pump stops.

Connor is escorted to Hank’s room by Amanda. He could easily come here himself, he doesn’t need her holding his hand. Hank opens the door and Connor smiles politely.

“For fuck’s sake. This kid again?” Connor frowns. Hank… doesn’t like him? “He’d do just fine on his own! He doesn’t need me.”

“Connor is capable of hunting alone, yes. But he is also rather… uneducated.”

Hank snorts. Connor feels uncomfortable. They’re talking about him as if he weren’t there. He is here. He can hear every word they say.

“Well, I’ll hang around the kid as long as you need me to, but you can’t hold him back like this for long.”

Connor blinks as Hank ushers him into the room. Amanda glares. She storms off without another word.

“Where the fuck have you been for the past five days?” Hank is quick to ask. “That lunatic dragged you off and I haven’t seen you since.”

“It’s not important,” Connor says quietly, averting his gaze from Hank’s eyes. “I am ready for the hunt.”

“Kid. What did she do to you?”

Connor blinks confusedly. Hank is staring at him in a way he can’t identify. His thirium pump stops beating for a moment too long for comfort. Connor scans the component. It’s functioning properly.

“I don’t understand.”

“She did something to you. I can see that much. I’m no idiot, Connor. What did she do?”

Connor withdraws when Hank reaches out to him. “Nothing. She didn’t do anything.” He knows the words come out rushed and unconvincing. His components are functioning faster and he runs a diagnostic. No errors appear. So why is his thirium pump hammering at his chest?

“Alright, kid. Whatever you say.”

Hank gears up and they leave for the hunt. This one is less exciting. There’s no big monster to fight. Just herbs and small monster parts to collect. Connor knows it’s just as important as the hunting of larger monsters, but it feels like a waste of his potential. He was made to fight, not to dig through bushes for herbs to make medicines.

The small monsters are far too easy to kill and their parts far too easy to harvest. Connor feels restless. He hates this. This is not what he was made for.

Hank has clearly noticed his unease. He lets Connor do the hunting, as little of it as is required. Connor grows frustrated and throws the bag of ingredients in the dirt with a growl.

“This is a waste of my time. I need to- I need to _hunt._ ” Connor snarls.

“You gotta calm down, kid. You’re gonna make this take longer if you keep that up.” Hank’s hand rests on his shoulder and Connor stares at the bag on the ground.

“I can’t- I need to be doing something. I can’t do this.” Restlessness crawls under his skin and he hates it. “I can fight. I need to fight.”

“I know, kid. I know. But you gotta do these things. Only way to get more of the big hunts.”

Connor knows that already. Doesn’t make the feelings stop plaguing him. He wants to fight. It hurts.

“Connor. Come on. There’s something I wanna show you.”

Connor lets Hank guide him through the area, noting the man slinging the bag of goods over his shoulder. They walk for a long time before Hank steps out on a rocky cliff side above a waterfall.

It’s beautiful, serene. A herd of Larinoth walk below, occasionally dipping their heads to drink from the pool of clear water. It’s a valley of sorts, surrounded by small hills and thick forest. Connor is easily able to make out the trail from which the Larinoth came.

“Not many hunters know about this spot,” Hank tells him with a fond smile. “It’s… well, as far as I know, it’s just me. Well, me and you, now.”

Connor knows the value of such a place. It would be so easy to raise his bowgun and shoot down the Larinoth, collect their meat and bones and sell it in the Hub. To climb into the valley and harvest the abundance of plants growing there. But he finds he doesn’t really want to. He feels calm.

“There used to be a legend about this place,” Hank goes on, and Connor listens. “My father told me this was the final resting place of an elder dragon who had befriended a hunter. He said the monster’s power makes it so people lose their will to fight, and life grew unchecked and peaceful in this valley as a result. It’s hard to say whether the story is true, but I’ve seen a few predatorial monsters come by and not one of them has harmed a hair on any other monster’s head.”

Connor watches the valley with wonder. Upon closer inspection, he is able to see a few tracks from a wyvern’s recent passing. But there are no traces of any fighting, of a struggle between predator and prey.

It’s a strange place. Connor thinks he likes it.

“Thank you, Hank,” he says softly.

There’s a long moment of silence in which Connor watches the Larinoth graze before Hank claps a hand on his shoulder and says it’s time to get going.

They finish the job quickly after that, and Connor finds himself feeling anxious about returning to his room. After what happened last time, he’s somewhat scared to deal with Amanda. He stiffens at the sight of her face in the busy Hub.

“Connor…” Hank’s voice trails off and Connor can’t identify the emotion that it expresses. “What did she do to you?” The last few words are quiet, too low for a human to hear. Connor wasn’t supposed to hear them.

“Thank you, Hank.” Connor isn’t sure what he’s thanking him for. For putting up with him? For showing him the valley? He doesn’t know, and it bothers him.

Before he can make the situation more uncomfortable, Connor makes his way to Amanda’s side.

“Connor. I trust your mission went well?”

“Yes,” is all he says. He mentions none of the errors in his system. He mentions nothing about the valley. He says nothing about the way Hank looked at him.

“Good.”

And that’s the end of the conversation. Connor finds himself aching for something more. For the same warmth Hank gives him coming from Amanda. For anything but the bitter cold she radiates. For anything but the cold.

Connor doesn’t react outwardly to any of the feelings assaulting him. He knows it will only make it worse. Amanda doesn’t like when he shows emotions.

Connor is finally left alone in his room, where he makes a beeline for the egg nestled in a pile of blankets. He runs his hands over the shell, something about the sheer smoothness of it just so pleasing to him.

And then he feels a crack and his thirium pump stops.

The egg shifts in his hands and then his thirium pump speeds up. Is it hatching? Is he about to watch the tiny wyvern take its first steps into the world?

Connor feels so many things and none of them make much sense to him. Most of all, when a shrill shriek comes from the hole where the Malfestio hatchling has managed to break through the eggshell, he feels _proud._

He scans the hatchling immediately. It’s healthy, if hungry. A female. Her wide eyes stare at him and he holds out a hand tentatively. She moves closer, closer. Her head pushes against Connor’s hand and he can’t help the smile that spreads across his face.

“Let’s get you something to eat,” he says with a smile, lifting the child into his arms. “And then you’ll need a name. How about… Mal?” The Malfestio in his arms chirps contentedly and Connor smiles. “Mal it is then.”


End file.
